Check that bag? Change your flight?
Airlines collected more than $1 billion in baggage fees during the first quarter of 2017, according to data released June 19 by the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Statistics, with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Spirit (which charges an extra fee for anything larger than a small backpack) raking in the most fees, in that order.

That’s the fourth consecutive quarter baggage fees topped $1 billion, likely to increase going forward as “basic economy class” fares with overhead bin space restrictions become more widely available and more popular with travelers.

During the first quarter of 2017, airlines also made a hefty profit — more than $723 million — on reservation cancelation and change fees.

Qatar Airways Floats “No Borders” Ad
Qatar Airways has operated under restricted operations after four Arab nations — Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — severed diplomatic ties and transportation links with the Gulf country of Qatar for allegedly supporting Islamic terrorists.

While negotiations are underway to resolve the dispute and address the flight disruptions, Qatar Airways released a 60-second advertisement on YouTube pointedly defending its right to fly.

“The sky, there should be no borders up here. Only horizons,” the announcer tells us. “As an airline we don’t believe in boundaries. We believe in bringing people together.”

United Uses Cab Campaign to Steer Travelers to Newark Over JFK
United Airlines recently spent $120 million renovating Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Now, the airline is using New York taxis in a creative ad campaign designed to convince New Yorkers to fly out of Newark instead of New York (JFK).

To prove that Newark is closer to New York City than John F. Kennedy International Airport, United fitted 125 New York City taxis with GPS software that shows a real-time comparison of the travel times between the city and JFK and EWR airports on a digital display on top of the cab.

“The digital displays are synced with data from the Curb application and update in real time with every change in a taxi’s position and evolving traffic patterns,” Maggie Schmerin, United, explained. “It represents the first time live traffic data has ever been used to dynamically display messaging on top of a taxi.”

A Case of Wine With That Ticket?
Alaska Airlines extended its popular Wines Fly Free program to Idaho. As is the case for those traveling from wine country in Oregon, Washington and California, Alaska Mileage Plan members can now check one case of wine free of charge on Alaska Airlines flights departing from Boise Airport and Lewiston Regional Airport. In Oregon and Washington, the program includes free wine tastings at many wineries for those who show their Alaska Airlines boarding pass.